Grapefruit - Smells good, makes you feel good and look good!

 Okay, I’ll admit it: the grapefruit is not what you might consider a ‘sexy’ fruit.  It doesn’t conjure up the lusciousness of some of the more exotic fruits like mango, guava or papaya, but the grapefruit for me is a special fruit that does hold its own for healing,  losing weight and adding sparkle to a perfume blend.When I was very young my grandmother, who was sickly, ate a grapefruit every day at breakfast.  So I thought grapefruits were for sick people.  Though it wasn’t my fruit of choice back then, I loved the way my mom would slice it in half and then cut around all the sections for easy scooping.  But in those days, the only way I knew to eat a grapefruit was have plenty of sugar sprinkled on it… Today I eat a grapefruit pretty much like I eat an orange.  Most of the time, I just peel the skin and eat the sections one by one.  Or I may cut it up in quarters.  And my preference is pink grapefruit, and I’ll take that organic, thank you!As a teen, one of my aunts who was often watching her weight, used to eat grapefruits, so I had the impression that is was meant for those who wanted to be slim.Today I find both thoughts were equally correct. Grapefruits are a great fruit with essential nutrients that can aid in healing and they’re also helpful in burning calories and breaking down fats in the body.  I imagine that the acid helps to dissolve some of the gunk in us.  I experience a refreshing feeling after consuming a grapefruit and needless to say, I dropped the sugar-coating decades ago.I also enjoy smelling and working with grapefruit essential oil.  Yes, like with food, grapefruit is not considered a ‘sexy’ scent.  It’s not Tuscan blood orange, yuzu or bergamont, but it has its own unique character that it lends to a blend.Like with eating it, the pink grapefruit essence has a refreshing quality that is light, effervescent, and I imagine that some of what I smell is the natural pink of it. According to trade magazine Perfumer & Flavorist, citrus scents are just continuing to build in their popularity, especially as more exotic citruses are made available for perfumery such as yuzu, mandarin, eau de brouts, calamansi and blood orange which is currently in vogue.  Who knew that botanicals, like fashion, can be 'in vogue', that hot commodity that is in demand?So while grapefruit may not be sexy, it certainly continues to hold my attention and inspires me in the art of perfumery when searching for that sparkly top note.